Table 1 Comparison of care quality at different levels of institutions

Diagnostic physician^a; n (%)

< 0.001

   Pulmonologist

76 (67.9)

118 (76.1)

67 (67.0)

53 (98.1)

   Non-pulmonologist

36(32.1)

37 (23.9)

33 (33.0)

1 (1.9)

Quality of diagnosis; n (%)

   Sputum specimens for diagnosis^a

< 0.001

<3 specimens

58(51.8)

98 (63.2)

50 (50.0)

14 (25.9)

≥ 3 specimens

54 (48.2)

57 (36.8)

50 (50.0)

40(74.1)

   Positive sputum smear but negative sputum culture results^a

< 0.001

Yes

1 (0.9)

12 (7.7)

19 (19.0)

2 (3.7)

No

111 (99.1)

143 (92.3)

81 (81.0)

52 (96.3)

Timeliness (mean ± SD)

   Days between chest X-ray examination and the hospital visit^b (n = 415)

1.8 ± 6.0

1.8 ± 5.6

1.7 ± 3.4

1.0 ± 0.0

0.044

   Days between the sputum examination and the hospital visit^b (n = 415)

4.9 ± 13.3

4.1 ± 8.2

4.8 ± 14.7

1.5 ± 2.9

< 0.001

   Healthcare institution delay^1,b (n = 378)

31.0 ± 53.6

31.2 ± 70.4

25.4 ± 3 7.6

10.1 ± 18.3

< 0.001

Positive AFB smear^b (n = 235)

11.2 ± 16.2

13.4 ± 31.4

15.7 ± 30.6

4.7 ± 7.1

0.003

Negative AFB smear^b (n = 143)

69.9 ± 76.2

53.3 ± 95.5

44.3 ± 42.8

20.1 ± 27.0

0.001

Laboratory diagnostic delay^2,b (n = 415)

2.6 ± 2.1

4.5 ± 3.1

3.5 ± 2.6

2.4 ± 2.4

< 0.001

Outcome; n (%)

Successful treatment^a (n= 421)

0.001

Yes

73 (65.2)

99 (63.9)

68 (68.0)

50 (92.6)

No

39 (34.8)

56(36.1)

32 (32.0)

4 (7.4)

Fatality^a (n = 421)

0.002

Yes

31 (27.7)

50 (32.3)

28 (28.0)

3 (5.6)

No

81 (72.3)

105 (67.7)

72 (72.0)

51 (94.4)